Follower for barrels and kegs.



WITNESSES WM 1 A. T. HENDERSON.

FOLLOWBB. FOR BARRELS AND KEGS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1912.

Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. T. HENDERSON.

FOLLOWER FOR BABRELS AND KBGS.

APPLIUATION FILED 213.27, 1912.

1 ,O45,287, Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

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Specification of Letters Ya'cent.

FOLLOWER FOR BARRELS AND KEGS.

Patented Nov. 26., 1912.

Application filed February 27, 1912. Serial N0.'680,269.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD T. HEN- DERSON, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Princeton, county of Scott, and

State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Followers for Barrels and Kegs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to followers for barrels and kegs and is an improvement on the follower set forth in my Patent No. 1,012,076, dated December 19, 1911.

The present invention has for its objects, first, the provision of a simple, light, strong and durable follower which can be readily pushed down into the barrel or keg and positioned with one hand while the. other is used to operate it to cause its permanent engagement with the keg.

Another object of the invention is to provide an expansible follower which will be adapted to conform to the walls of the barrel or keg so that when it is placed in the barrel or keg, it may be pressed down and secured upon the salt pork, pickled beef or other articles frequently exposed for sale walls of the barrel or r in barrels or kegs in grocery or other stores and will completely cover the contents thereof and protect them from flies and dirt.

The present invention has an expansible and contractible part to adapt it to conform to the interior walls of the barrel or keg and allows considerable adaptation to size,

and this feature by itself, without regard to the other novel features of the invention,

constitutes a valuable improvement over the follower set forth in my aforesaid patent and in all others of which I am aware.

The invention consists, further, in a new and simplified handle arrangement; a new construction of follower head or disk, and the actuator; and a novel combination of the follower head or disk, an expansible filler, the actuator disk, and protecting plate.

One form of the invention is set forth hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective of the invention in use in a barrel or keg which is shown in dotted lines; Fig. 2, a plan view of the invention, the top disk .being removed and certain parts broken away and in section;v

Fig. 3, a plan view of the invention in a barrel, the parts being in retracted position and the actuator disk and the upper disk re moved; Fig. 4:, a vertical section with certain .parts in full lines and broken away; Fig. 5, a top plan of the follower disk; Fig. (3, a perspective of one of the slides and segmental filler members; and Fig. 7, a section on line 7-7, Fig. 6.

The follower 1 is preferably circular and of a size very considerably smaller than the keg or barrel in which it is intended to be placed. Rising centrally from this follower is a stem 2 having a handle 3. The top of the follower is provided with radially extending slides 4 which are adapted to slide in the grooves 5 in the top of the follower 1. Above the followerl is an actuator disk 6 which has a handle 7 through which the loosely passes and said disk is provided with cam slots 8 which receive lugs or pins 9 on the slides 4t.

To cover the cam slots and protect the actuator as well as to hold it and the follower in their proper relative positions, there is provided a disk 10, notched at 11 to engage the pillars of the handle 7. A cross-pin or other suitable means 12, passing through the stem 2 and bearing upon the."

plate, holds the parts together. On the removal of this pin, the parts may be separated.

As thus far described, thev invention con stitutes an improvement on the construction shown in my Patent No. 1012076, as the device is made more compact, strong, and simple by the differences of construction, including the grooving of the follower 1 instead of the'provision of raised guides thereon; the provision of cam slots instead of cam grooves; and the central location of the stem 2 and handle 3, enabling the force exerted by the hand in looking or unlocking the device to be applied directly to the center of the parts. Furthermore, the journaling of the stem 2 in the handle 7, mutuallybraces and strengthens the handles. As in my former patent, I provide points or prongs 13 on the sides which" will enter the walls of the barrel or ke and lock the device in position when sai slides are as a moved outwardly by relative turning of the it will be seen that unless either the follower or the actuator of that patent be substanof the barrel or keg. To overcome this defect,

I have provided an expansible filler adapted to be projected wit-h and retracted by the slides 4 which will engage the walls of the barrel and will permit the device being used in barrels or kegs ofsomewhat different sizes. This expansible filler may be made in different ways and it is not restricted to the particular construction shown andwhich will now be described.

Secured to the upper faces of the respective slides 4:, are segmental members 14, preferably of sheet metal, whose ends preferably overlap when the filler is expanded so as-to present an unbroken circular outer edge to bear against the interior of the barrel or keg. I wish it understood, however, that such overlapping is not essential, nor is it essential that these members 14 be of the exact shape shown.

When the handle 7 is grasped and the handle 3 turned, or vice versa, the filler members 14 and slides 4 are projected, the

points 13 pressing into the barrel and the outer edge of the filler conformin to the interior wall of said barrel 0r (cg. In

placing the device in a barrel or keg, the

slides 4 and members 13 are in retracted position and by. pressing down on the handle 7, the contents of the barrel or "keg are pressed down. Thereupon, the handle 3 may be turned, and the slides and filler members projected, whereupon the device will retainitself in the'barrel or keg completely covering the contents thereof, until it is released or removed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let- -ters Patent, is

tuator member provided with cam slots, said members being arranged one above the other and adapted for relative rotation, a crosswise extending handle connected to the ac.- tuator member, a rotatable stem secured to the follower member and extending loosely up through the actuator member centrally thereof, a handle for the stem, said handle being located above the cross-wise extending handle, segmental slides movable outwardly and inwardly between the follower member and the actuator member, and pins on the slides which are received in the cam slots of the actuator member, whereby the slides are adapted to be projected or retracted by turning the handles aforesaid.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARCHIBALD T. HENDERSON.

Witnesses:

T. W. HALL, CATHERINE CoNnEY.

. 45' In a follower for barrels'or kegs, the com- 'bination with a follower member, of an ac- 

